Mitchel Technical Institute CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) Reporting
Each HEERF participating institution must post the following information listed below in a format and location that is easily accessible to the public 30 days after the date when the institution received its allocation under 18004(a)(1) and updated every 45 days thereafter.
1.) An acknowledgement that the institution signed and returned to the Department the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution has used, or intends to use, no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
Mitchell Technical Institute signed and returned to the U.S. Department of Education the Certification and Agreement on April 16, 2020. Notification that grant funds were available for draw down was received on April 25, 2020. You can view the Certification and Agreement here.
Mitchell Technical Institute intends to use no less than 50% of the funds received to provide Emergency Financial Aid grants to students.
2.) The total amount of funds that the institution will receive or has received from the Department pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement [for] Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.
On April 24, 2020 Mitchell Technical Institute received $439,711.00.
3.) The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of submission (i.e., as of the 30-day Report and every 45 days thereafter).
As of May 20, 2020 Mitchell Technical Institute has disbursed $332,355 to eligible students.
4.) The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
Mitchell Technical Institute has determined there are approximately 765 students eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid grants.
5.) The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
As of May 20, 2020 Mitchell Technical Institute has disbursed Emergency Financial Aid grants to 669 eligible students.
6.) The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act.
Following guidance received from the US Department of Education, MTI determined the following students were eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants:
Title IV-eligible students under Section 484 of the Higher Education Act
Students are eligible for Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) student grants under the CARES Act if they were not enrolled exclusively in an online program on March 13, 2020 and meet the Title IV-eligibility requirements.
The method used to determine how much each student would receive was based on the number of credits the student was enrolled in as of March 13, 2020 (excluding any credits for which a student may be refunded due to the program not being able to offer that class to finish the spring 2020 semester). Eligible students will receive $30/credit.
A separate methodology will be used to determine awards for students enrolled in the summer or fall semester.
7.) Any instructions, directions, or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants.
An e-mail was sent to all students whom we had determined to be eligible for the grant based on the guidance received from the Department of Education and if the student had completed a 2019-2020 FAFSA meeting the student eligibility requirements under Section 484 of Title IV of the Higher Education Act. You can view this e-mail here.
A separate e-mail was sent to all students whom we had determined met the basic eligibility requirements, but who had not completed a 2019-2020 FAFSA. These students were informed of the grant and instructed to complete the 2019-2020 FAFSA if they wanted to be further considered. You can view this e-mail here.
When a check has been generated for an eligible student and is prepared for mailing, the following note is included:
"Dear MTI Student,
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law to get support to those most in need as quickly as possible. That includes college students whose lives have been disrupted, many of whom are facing financial challenges and struggling to make ends meet.
Grant funding made available to MTI through the U.S. Department of Education has allowed this payment to you as an emergency financial aid grant. The amount of the grant is based on $30/credit hour for the total number of credits you are registered during the spring semester 2020. These funds are to be used to cover expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus (including eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care).
This is a grant and does not have to be repaid and it does not count as part of your financial aid."
Questions regarding this report or MTI’s Student Emergency Financial Aid Grants can be directed to John Heemstra, Vice President Operations, [email protected] or phone 605.995.7204.
South Dakota’s Technical Colleges Plan for On-Campus Classes in Fall 2020
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s four technical colleges plan to resume on-campus operations this fall, with face-to-face teaching and learning at institutions across the state. The colleges will continue to focus on providing high-quality online instruction to complete the spring and summer semesters.
“The system will continue to seek advice from experts in public health, epidemiology, and emergency management, as we make decisions to safely and appropriately prepare for the fall semester,” said Dana Dykhouse, Chairman of the Board of Technical Education. “The health of our students, faculty, and staff is paramount.”
The technical college presidents and their staff are planning for the safe return of students and implementing campus protocols required to address the ongoing public health challenge. As the situation evolves, the colleges will prioritize safety and be prepared to act quickly to promote both student well-being and success.
More specific plans will be announced by the colleges in the coming weeks and months.
The South Dakota Board of Technical Education provides support to Lake Area Technical College, Mitchell Technical College, Southeast Technical College, and Western Dakota Technical College.